Free Mix Friday

Loco Dice Interview | How I Play

This Weekends Activities

Til Two Season Finale @ Sway, Wednesday 28th.

 Line Up
 
Sef Kombo
Sy Sez
Funk Butcher
Dj Den


 
 
Time: 10pm - 2am
Venue: Sway Bar, 61-65 Queen Street, London, WC2B 5BZ; United Kingdom
Cost: £5/£10





Troupe with Solid Grooves present Fur Coat, Climbers, The Mekanism & Jonny Cade @ Pulse, Friday 30th.

 
Line Up
 
Fur Coat (Crosstown Rebels)
The Mekanism (Noir)
Climbers (Culprit)
Jonny Cade (20/20 Vision)
Michael Bibi dj (Solid Grooves)
Real Nice (Love Not Money)
Tony Stephenson (SolidGrooves)
Balou (Troupe Records)
SQUA (Troupe Records)
Tom Frankel (Troupe Ibiza)
Charlie Brennan (Troupe Ibiza)
 
Time: 10pm - 6am
Venue: Pulse, No 1 Invicta Plaza; South Bank; London SE1 9UF; United Kingdom
Cost: £8-£20 
 
Wolf + Lamb Records: No Regular Play Launch Party @ XOYO, Saturday 1st.
 
Line Up
 
No Regular Play(live)
Tanner Ross
A&A (Love Fever)
 
 
 
Time: 9pm - 3am
Venue: XOYO, 32-37 Cowper Street; Shoreditch; London EC2A 4AP; United Kingdom
Cost: £15

Dennis Ferrer Interview

The Objektivity boss tellin' us how it is

Hey Dennis where in the world are you right now?
     
"I don't know! No…I mean...my internal clock is jacked. I don't know whether I'm in NYC or Amsterdam anymore!  I'll go with an old friend's mantra "...be here now". So I am here now...lol."




Life is never quiet for Mr Ferrer, work permits problems keeping you out of Montreal, putting on one of the parties at ADE with your Objektivity crew and even more importantly featured in the first ever DJ Dance Moves site…a new web site showing how superstar DJs like to get down whilst spinning. Great energy going on there Dennis, we thought DJs can't dance!?

"HAHA!! Well….I'd like to think I've perfected the art of great DJ dancing...KIDDING! The reality is that I just absolutely love to get lost when I'm spinning. I hate boring non-technical spectacles. If you are a turntablist...then you have EARNED the right to stand still...respect is granted. BUT if you're a house, techno or EDM DJ and all you do is freaking blend then bruh, pardon my language, F**k that!.  If I paid my way into this club you best entertain my ass!  Jump up on the decks…douse yourself with vodka and light yourself on fire…pull a Marilyn Manson…anything but don't just stand there and bore me with your "…I'm too cool to dance...but listen to this track that only 2 people in the whole world have had for the past 6 months" attitude. That shit is soooo 2002. LMAO!"

Your label has just released another mighty slice of classic house via Jovonn and his 'Slammin Doors' EP. We are loving this Brooklyn dude, were you sharing the same dancefloors as him back in the 90s at such classic clubs as The Loft and Zanzibar?  

"I've known Jovonn for so many years it borders on family. LOL. He used to come and shop for keyboards and stuff when I worked at the vintage music equipment shop in my formative years. I never got a chance to cut a rug at the Loft or Zanzibar though. I was to busy bum rushin' house parties those days."

The UK is bracing itself for the Ferrer Circus on New Years Eve when you roll into town for the Defected spectacular at The Electric in Brixton with Deetron and Noir. How do you plan your New Years sets, are they just another big night for you or will there be a sprinkling of 2012 smashes in there?

"I don't plan sets in reality...it's more of a hmmmmm lets see if this'll work right now attitude.  Sometimes I get it right...sometimes I get it wrong. That's the fun of it.  Why take the surprise and skill set out of the equation? I never know what I'm gonna play...and in what order...so why should you? lol. As far as an ode to 2012...I dunno...gonna have to think that one through…"

What has been your tune of the year?

"'Waff' - Jo Johnson on Hot Creations. That was SUPER HOT and it  was my go to record...kinda still is LOL."

You once said, "I have grown tired of commercial expectations. You will not hear the remix to Rihanna's new track…you're never going to hear Guetta out of my box." The year obviously started with your name in all of the press when the management at Mansion in Miami kicked you off the decks for not playing the music they wanted to hear. Were you surprised at the worldwide attention this incident received and how does the land lie with Mansion nine months later?

"I was very shocked over the all the attention this incident received. But I was even more shocked at how I was thrown under the bus by the ill informed staff handling the PR.  The good out of this?  The venue has or had a sort of "underground" Thursday night. Good for them...I wish them nothing but the best. I harbour no ill will."  

On January 1st this year you announced that your resolution for 2012 was to get back in the studio and "do what got me to this point in my life". So, you happy how the year panned out?

"It's been panning out in real interesting ways.  With mentoring new talent...getting back to basics in songwriting...it's becoming fun again."  

What will be the resolution for 2013?

"Hmmm see more of the world instead of just the hotel room, airplane cabin and club when I get to a destination."

You have played at some incredible clubs and cities recently. Aruba, Istanbul, Sao Paulo, Amsterdam and Angola all sounded like a lot of fun - where have been your stand out clubs this year?

"Ibiza - Ushuaia (for the sheer enormity of it all), Istanbul - Sensation (they partied like it was their last day on earth), Trouw, Red Zone in Italy ...umm...there were so many...I can't possibly remember them all."

You cite your influences as gods such as Stevie Wonder, MAW and Jeff Mills although you also love the likes of AC-DC and The Pet Shop Boys. Who though are you listening to at the moment away from the studio to chill out?

"I've been going to A1 Records in NYC and buying old vinyl lately.  Just totally going to the bin and randomly taking 50 - 100 records...not knowing what's in the stack at all. It's so much fun to just find records I've never heard of and some that I have but never purchased. It's made listening to music personal. I have something in my hand...a tangible object that I can own, look at, touch...and not consisting of bits and bytes that I cannot see. I missed this."
         
A famous quote from you : "All the heroes that I grew up with are just not relevant right now because they're not willing to change with the times." Now that to me, just wreaks of bad management?

"Not at all...it's not bad management.  It's just that most have forgotten what it is that got them there…kids.  Youthful expression, youthful enthusiasm. They've let themselves age within their minds.  As we all know...life happens...understood - but when you make dance music you can't forget who it is that  goes dancing.  You want to chill out? Go make Jazz, World music or go score some orchestral piece.  You want to make people go nuts? Pay attention to what's happening, adjust and educate yourself and go create. Don't get sucked into believing your own hype."
 
What is your idea of a perfect, non working Sunday?

"A few hours in the studio and waiting for the Giants/Jets/Knicks to come on tv. Hassle free rest day."

Dance music has gone ballistic in 2012 in the States. From the perspective of an artist with the underground running through his veins, what are your thoughts on how the electronic sound has swept your home country this year? Does it make your role as one of the stars of the underground easier?

"Hmmm it's been so long since I've seen this happen here that I'm still looking at it with a skeptical eye. lol! I'm like...huh? Is this really happenning? AGAIN? FINALLY!!!!  lol.  It's funny as it feels like the early 90's where the current EDM songs are like the T99 and Snap's of it it's era. You won't see me diggin those up to play out anytime soon..so ummmm…I'll keep my mouth shut. LMAO!  My role is the same role as when I started. Just try to provide quality music for the genre I belong to. Whether someone claims I'm popular or not is irrelevant. I'm an entertainer and my job is to entertain you. I'm solely measured by that ability. Rest on your laurels and it's sayonara! So no my role is not easier."

Kerri Chandler famously gave you the keys to his house back in the day allowing you to learn your trade on his equipment. Who are some of the new up and coming producers we should be looking out for in 2013?

"Wow there are so many amazing people coming up....Waff, Andrea Oliva, Jordan Peak, Mark Fanciulli, Lilith and our very own Andre Hommen and Nasser Baker just to name a few. It's gonna be really interesting to see where time takes us with these new people."


How's your health these days? I seem to recall a nasty bout of Piriformis Syndrome a while back, that is some nasty shit!!

"Yeah that back thing was pretty outrageous...people don't realize that we stand on our feet hunched over for hours at a time and that takes it's toll on your spine.  It's all good now....I'm as fit as ever and looking forward to our new season in 2013."

And finally, what is coming out next from the Dennis Ferrer studio vault…?

"I'm done giving predictions...I don't really know...that's whats fun about this for me.  Surprising everyone. Making everyone go "..huh? WTF?!!!!"  and then watching someone lose their minds on the dancefloor.  I love this life!"

Article sourced: http://www.dmcworld.net/features/entry/features/dennis-ferrer

Miguel Campbell Talks His New Album & Musical Prejudice.

From the chart-topping “Something Special” to a landmark album for Hot Creations, Miguel Campbell has blazed a new trail for underground house music. Having cut his teeth in the humble Leeds club circuit, and being persistent in the face of musical prejudice, Campbell’s soulful tunes and their strong vintage spin mark a triumph not only for the Yorkshire-bred producer, but also the idea that organic music can still overshadow fly-by-night industry trends.

Between frequently spinning alongside Matt Hughes (together known as Mam) and commandeering his own Outcross Records imprint, Campbell’s nostalgic solo ventures have progressed considerably throughout 2012. With his new album, Back In Flight School, soaring high for Lee Foss’ and Jamie Jones’ underground stronghold, Hot Creations, the British funk advocate traces a journey of notable turbulence with a remarkably smooth landing amid global club culture. We recently chatted with Campbell about it all.

Despite your recent ascent to the ranks of Hot Creations, you are not a new name on the British house circuit; your first project, MCB, started over six years ago. How do you feel your sound and attitude towards the music you make has developed over the years?

The sound that I began producing as MCB is still something I impose on my music today. Back in those days, we were amateurs as far as production value was concerned. I would compensate for that by adding an array of melodies and chord progressions [to the songs]. When I listen back to some of that old stuff now, I think, “Wow, that is really cool.” A lot of those tracks have remained unreleased because at the time it just didn’t sound right, but in truth they were some of the best tracks I ever made, and have largely provided the bread and butter for what Miguel Campbell now stands for. My work alongside my label partner and studio mate Matt Hughes (as Mam) was a natural venture, because we were both so inspired by the French touch on house music. Sticking to our guns was never an issue, and we timed the progressions with the new platforms perfectly. Now, with techno and minimal taking a downturn, real house music finally has room to breath again. It really comes down to patience, passion, and timing.

Your hometown and proving ground of Leeds in West Yorkshire has remained a passionate point of discussion for you. Was it an easy task trying to cut your teeth within such a humble yet notoriously cliquey community? Has your attitude towards the city changed over the years?

I will always love Leeds, but I have to admit that the scene there was not very kind to me. Around the time I began to make my mark, there was a big minimal phase making the rounds and everyone was into techno. The leading labels weren’t releasing funk or proper house music, and because of the general attitude towards that style of music, I was always dubbed as “elevator music” or “music for girls.” The general consensus was that if it wasn’t “banging,” then it wasn’t happening. Still, I just carried on doing me. The price for that was a long spree of opening sets and small bar shows, but that actually allowed me to focus on improving my technical production value. The city’s stylistic bias stopped me from playing there for a long time, but when all is said and done, it was still the parties and raves there that really kept me passionate about dance music as a whole. Now I get to go back there and actually play for people who love the style of music I play. I cannot help but wish I had access to this platform back in the old days, but the sad truth is that at the time no one cared.

What has kept you so loyal to Hot Creations, and what does the imprint mean to you as an artist?

I am a loyal character in general, but the whole aura of Hot Creations has done so much for my career, just as a brand against my name. That connection excelled my live presence very early on and before it all began, I knew that this latest album, Back In Flight School, would be a record specifically for Jamie’s and Lee’s label. I am proud to be able to contribute to such a cool and integral imprint in such a big way. In the two years it took me to write and release the record, I have grown so proud of everything the label and its artists have achieved and stood for along the way. Their ethos of giving people a chance, no matter who they know or what social circles they follow, is exactly what house music needs. There is finally an antidote to this industry reliance upon street credit. Hot Creations isn’t just a name, but a creative family that I intend to stick with ’til the end.

These days, it can feel like the full-length album format is too often used as a dumping ground for b-sides. With numerous albums already behind you, how do you approach the long-playing format in an age where trends point towards two-track EPs and sharp-shooting singles?

It may surprise a lot of people, but this is technically my fifth album. Of course, it is my debut for Hot Creations, and by far the most high-profile release for me to date, but as far as the process is concerned, I am awfully familiar with writing for the album format. There are literally hundreds of tracks that have been a part of this learning process. Some simply never saw the light of day. With each album, I have prided myself on creating cohesive journey pieces that tell an aural story from start to finish. I like to think that each record reflects my own journey in one way or another, and for me it is a success if you can take people on that journey through and throughout. The EPs serve their purpose—don’t get me wrong—but an album is such a huge effort. It needs to consistently engage the listener from start to finish.

This new LP marks the first of Hot Creations’ new album concept. Given the label’s popularity and huge global fan base, did being the first full-length contributor add any pressure to the process for you?

I was very much aware that this was a new and exciting platform to produce under, but the only real challenge was to work out the sound and style that I wanted to portray; something both the listeners and I could get into. For me, it was vital to mix up various types of house music, because what I’ve found is that they can all work together in unexpected yet coherent ways. Throughout my career, the old-school ethos of funk music has proven a huge point of inspiration and it quickly became apparent that this could be applied to all the tracks on the album. I have a lot of love for the ’80s and that organic, soulful funk sound that dominated that era of music. Peers such as Aeroplane and Flight Facilities have done a great job picking up on this and, given that we all now live in airports courtesy of our great global culture, the theme of flight worked well.

How important do you feel the concept of genre boundaries is, given the modern tendency to try and box music into specific categories?

Generally, it is hard for me to say. While the industry keeps spinning and shifting through styles and genres, I have stuck to my own guns. I listen to a lot of my peers’ music and opinions, but then again I also try and keep them as far from my own flow as possible. That being said, you will hear stuff like rap lyrics on top of a solid house tune within my album. This is due to my own hip-hop background and my belief that if it sounds good, then there shouldn’t be a second thought about uniting house music and hip-hop. It comes down to personal taste, and I remain adamant that what is in your own head and heart should always override what is being pushed in front of you by society.

It seems you have not been immune to the backlash between defining mainstream and underground dance music. Is the concept of making popular or mainstream dance music a positive or negative factor to you?

I am often told that the music I make is pop music, but when it comes down to it, what is pop music? It means it’s popular and lots of people want to listen! I read a comment recently saying I made the track “Rockin’ Beats” for the money, and purposely aimed it at all the ghetto kids to make a quick sell. The funniest bit is that several of these tracks I made for the album were initially made several years ago, that song being one I started back in 2010. It was produced at a time when no one was listening to my music except friends and family in the area. A similar story goes for “Something Special,” and the truth is that I find it absurd that people hate on those tracks given that they actually came into existence before all the hype. If it has become popular or mainstream within that time, then great. I love sharing my music with people, and to me it doesn’t matter whether 10 people or one million people like it.

Matt Hughes has proven a consistently recurring studio partner throughout your career. What do you believe has allowed the two of you to develop so rapidly alongside each other?

What Matt and I do is definitely a big factor that informs what I do by myself. It really comes down to that love for the French touch that we have stuck by since our teens. In my opinion, some of the best productions to my name have been the Mam tracks, and I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without Matt’s influence. When it came to us meeting, it turned out we had the magic answers for each other’s approach, and our union has aided the sounds we both now represent. While we have both played it straight regarding our sound—both in the studio and through Outcross Records—we have become products of our own environment in as much as our sounds have adapted to our own personal tastes without us realizing. In that sense, I think it has been a mutually beneficial and pretty organic development for us as a collective institute.

Now that your career has taken on a global presence, such as your residency in Ibiza this summer, is the UK a place you still get excited to return to and play within?

To this day, the UK is still one of my favorite places to play. The energy and togetherness of the crowds is second-to-none by my books, and while people keep saying that the club scene is dying, I am simply not seeing it within my own shows. As far as arms in the air and love is concerned, I think what we have here is one of the best scenes in the world, maybe second only to Brazil, who have a very similar ethos of togetherness. Between there and the UK, I am always at home behind the decks.

Where have you found the greatest challenges within your career, and were they difficult to overcome?

Financial problems have been a huge challenge for sure. While I was still working and trying to produce on the side, it was a case of working to pay mortgage and living two very contrasting lives. Eventually I decided to sell my property to go back to mum’s, which was a weird step back socially, but at the same time, it allowed me to invest in my own studio gear. From there it was really “all in,” and everything I worked for and saved towards was invested into my own studio. It was tough but it was a powerful moment to finally take control of my own destiny. The greatest challenge was probably going up against the prejudice towards my music. It may be proving quite popular now, but it was tough to bite your tongue while people laid into the music you had put your heart and soul into. I believed it could be great and having overcome that hurdle, I know believe, with all my heart, that house music in all shapes and forms can make positive waves everywhere.

2012 has certainly set the precedent for your career. How do you intend to extend the positive streak to 2013?

While this year has focused strongly on my solo work, 2013 will see me invest a lot more time in my Outcross Records imprint while trying to help push the various individuals and peers around me who need that helping hand that I was lucky enough to receive. It feels like it is time to start paying it forward finally. Matt Hughes and I will be putting a lot of focus upon our Mam project, and I personally believe that as a duo we can achieve more than my solo work is capable of. My main concern remains ensuring that the enjoyment I feel making this music translates to the listeners. Without that sense of enjoyment, good music simply cannot exist.

Article Sourced: http://news.beatport.com/blog/2012/11/15/miguel-campbell-talks-about-his-new-album-musical-prejudice-and-sticking-to-his-guns/

Free Mix Friday

Kerri Chandler 44min Video interview

Kerri raps over life, love, music and passion.....

This Weekends Activities

Phonica 9th Birthday - Omar S x Ivan Smagghe x Bicep @ XOYO, Friday 23rd.

Line Up


Omar S
Ivan Smagghe
Bicep




Time: 9pm - 3am
Venue: XOYO/ 32-37 Cowper Street; Shoreditch; London EC2A 4AP; United Kingdom
Cost: £12.50 Earlybird / MOTD



Louche 5th Birthday presents RBMA with Henrik Schwarz, DJ Sprinkles, Move D & Braiden @ Plan B, Saturday 24th.

Line Up

Henrik Schwarz (Innervisions, DE)
DJ Sprinkles (Comatonse, US)
Move D (Workshop, DE)
Braiden (Rush Hour, UK)
Mr Solid Gold (Trouble Vision, UK)
Brinsley Kazak (Louche)
Josh T (Louche)

Time: 10:00pm - 6:00am

Venue: Plan B/ 418 Brixton Road; Brixton; London SW9 7AY; United Kingdom

Cost: £17 +

Derrick May Interview after Beatport Live

Ashley Beedle Video Interview

Ashley Beedle is an English producer and DJ, hailing from London Town.

With a career spanning two decades and a discography that speaks of some of dance music's finest moments, Beedle is an underground legend.

Co-producing under several guises, including X-Press 2, Black Science Orchestra and Ballistic Brothers; Ashley is behind some of the finest 'four to the floor' beat music tracks to ever grace the under and overground scenes.

His current 'Run The Track' leviathan follows a string of awe inspiring successes. From the classic Black Science Orchestra album 'Walter's Room', via X-Press 2 chart topper 'Lazy', Beedle has left an indelible mark on UK dance music history.

Gone On Holiday

On holiday back on the 19th November.

Free Mix Friday

Basic Soul Unit preps debut album: Motional Response

Basic Soul Unit is ready to release his debut album, Motional Response.

Stuart Li makes deep house and techno with a clearly analog approach, though the result is much more unpredictable than that would make it sound—at times melodic, at others more gritty and sometimes even a bit broken-beat (at least in the case of his 12-inch for NonPlus+), he moves through a healthy variety of sounds while staying loyal to his trademark style. Motional Response will be the Toronto artist's first release on Still Music, a Chicago label that shares his taste for Detroit- and Chicago-indebted club tracks. It features all previously unreleased material. As a bonus track, label boss Jerome Derradji provides a remix of the song "Breath," featuring Underground Resistance member Gerald Mitchell on strings.

Tracklist
01. Across the Room
02. Breathe
03. Clouds
04. Sandpiper
05. All Over Me
06. This
07. Backseat Lover
08. Intersection
09. Mind Forest
10. Let Go
11. Breath (Jerome Derradji Remix)

Still Music Chicago will release Motional Response in December 2012.

This Weekends Activities

La Mezcla @ Hipsta bar, Fri 9th.


Line Up

KNOWLEDGE - Birthday set (Groove Therapy / HouSoulful)

LA DJ PETITE (Rhythm n Funk / UK zoo party) 

NAT WENDELL (Social Society)

Will be Joined by guest DJ:

JAYSON WYNTERS (Tribe / SOULfisticated)



Time: 10 - late. 
Venue: Hipsta Bar, 224a Tower Bridge Road, SE1 2UP
Cost: £5 on guest list before 12, £8 after



Mark De Clive-Lowe Live + Jazzheadchronic, Free Entry @ Bussey Building, Fri 9th.

Line Up

Mark De Clive-Lowe

Jazzheadchronic

Special Guests

Time: 10pm - 4am 

Venue: Bussey Building/ 133 Rye Lane; Peckham; London SE15 4ST

Cost: Free

Bass Kleph shares his tricks for Maschine performances [Video]

Austrialian tech house producer, live remixer and finger drummer Bass Kleph shares some of his tips and tricks he uses when building a performance on his Maschine. 

Make Me - October Video Interview

October is without doubt one of the most talented producers to come out of the UK in the past few years. Pushing deep, intelligent house and techno from his base in Bristol on his labels Caravan and TANSTAAFL. Luckily for us he's also a sick DJ with one of the deepest record bags we've ever come across.

We took a few minutes to catch up with him literally minutes after he'd finished warming up for Panorama Bar doyenne Steffi.

Be sure to check our next party on Friday 9th November with Roman Flugel and BNJMN: residentadvisor.net/event.aspx?378997

Make Me - October Interview from Make Me on Vimeo.

Free Mix Friday

In Sickness and in Health: MEOKO Investigates the Pitfalls of the DJ Lifestyle...

Something that's become more and more apparent as we've interviewed more and more DJs is the effect that their lifestyle can have on their health. As the global DJ culture as we know it now is still a relatively new phenomenon there isn't really much insight into the side effects of what they do. Now this may sound a little bit exagerrated in comparison to the risks taken by say, someone who works in a dangerous industrial environment, but all the same this is something that MEOKO thought would be interesting to look at.

There are many factors to a DJ's job that can have an adverse effect on their health and we thought it would be helpful to speak to an expert from the NHS to get the inside track on how touring and living life to excess can be detrimental. As much as it's an amazing job to be able to travel the world playing music to people week in, week out, there are some health implications to consider and we think everyone has a responsibility to realise this and take action where necessary.

So here it is... by no means a call to DJs to stop what they're doing, just an insightful overview of how different factors of their job can affect their health.

Lack of sleep:

Staying up late and waking up early, or not even sleeping at all for days at a time is pretty much par for the course in many circles. Whether the DJ is travelling constantly, hitting after-parties or up all night in the studio working on new music, lack of sleep is probably one of the most common problems in the DJ world. As well as the typical inability to focus, reduction in motor skills and increased irritability, lack of sleep can also lead to depression. Of course, one can become conditioned to a lack of sleep, although it's not ideal.

Jacqui Jedrzejewski, a Senior Nurse at the NHS, says: “The fatigue caused by not getting any sleep can affect your mood and create problems within your personal relationships and work environment. The average adult needs between seven to nine hours sleep per night, without this it can become difficult to function normally during the day – one can become irritable and unable to concentrate. Extreme fatigue also opens one up to danger, for instance many road traffic accidents are linked to overtired drivers. Having 10 hours sleep in bed on one night a week may not even be enough to cure the negative effects of chronic sleep restriction. Recovery from sustained sleep restriction may require even more sleep during one night or multiple nights of extended sleep. Adequate recovery sleep duration is important for coping with the effects of chronic sleep restriction on the brain."

Constant touring:

Linked to lack of sleep – the constant touring endured by many of today's DJs can have a overriding effect on their health and state of mind. It goes without saying that travelling from one time zone to the next constantly, with little sleep, hungover or on a comedown – jet-lagged and rundown – is really not good for anyone. The short space of time spent in each location means the body never really adapts to the different time zones, leaving it in a state of limbo. But touring has become a big (and lucrative) part of DJ culture, as many of the best known names from today's generation and older stars too, get booked to play the world over.

In some cases, superstar DJs have been travelling around the globe for close to two decades. Our health expert offered some insight: “Jet lag and the effect of moving from one time zone to another can have wide-ranging effects on an individual's physical and mental wellbeing. From being simply drowsy and confused to affecting one's bowels, urine production, digestion and blood pressure. One of the best ways to at least get your body used to the new time zone you arrive in is to spend time out in the daylight, which helps to adjust your body clock a lot quicker.”

Alcohol consumption:

At pretty much any event a DJ attends there will be a pile of free booze laid on by the promoter who has hired them, as we all know the bigger stars can demand what they like on their very own rider. Bottles of vodka, champagne, rum, whisky, beers... whatever they like, anything to lubricate the creative process and get them amped up for the night. In this kind of environment it's very easy to get carried away and drink to excess – if this is happening more than two or three nights a week, then eventually one's health is really going to suffer. The effects of excessive drinking are well documented – liver disease being one of the most common alcohol-related illnesses.

Our health expert Jacqui Jedrzejewski says: “Men should not regularly drink more than 3 to 4 units of alcohol a day, that's equal to three bottles of regular strength beer or two double vodkas for instance. If you had a heavy drinking session, you should really avoid alcohol for 48 hours afterwards – hair of the dog may make you feel better in the short-term, you might think, but long-term it's really not a good idea. Asserting a degree of control over your alcohol consumption may not be easy, but it will benefit your health massively if you can get a handle on things.”

Drug use:

Although it's rarely spoken about, most people associated with dance music would quietly admit that drug use is pretty common. That's not to say that everyone that plays or listens to the music does drugs, but a large percentage do and it would be ignorant to pretend otherwise. For the purposes of this piece, I thought it would be necessary to explore every possible factor/extreme – and drug use is one of them. Constant and excessive drug use has many effects, from anxiety and paranoia through to memory problems, depression and even damage to one's internal organs.

Our NHS spokesperson adds: “The long-term effects of using recreational drugs on a regular basis include mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and paranoia. The effect on one's state of mind are increased further when combined with lack of sleep and the other factors mentioned in this piece. Physical issues include liver, kidney and heart problems – for instance, coke and amphetamines cause increased stress to the heart.”

She added: What should you do if you feel that you may have an issue with substance abuse?

l Speak up! Share your concerns with someone you trust such as your GP or a therapist who is experienced in helping people with substance abuse issues.

l Get help! If you do not know where to turn for help then a simple Internet search will help you connect you with agencies which specialise in substance abuse treatment and management.

l Act now! Addiction will worsen and become more severe over time if left untreated. In extreme addiction cases the result can be severe physical or mental health issues, or even death.

Back issues:

Back problems have been a common factor within the DJ world for quite some time. Going back to the days when vinyl was the only medium DJs used to play their music, carrying their record bags around to gigs of course put quite a strain on their backs. Nowadays lack of exercise, being constantly sat down on flights and being hunched over the decks also contribute to the condition of their backs. Steve Bug andHeidi are two notable sufferers of back troubles in the DJ world, among many others.

According to our expert: “Back problems are common the world over and in many different areas of employment. Life in the modern world for many means that lack of exercise and being sat in a bad position all day are commonplace. It takes very little time to build up the core muscles in one's back, simple daily exercises (which you can find online) can be executed in many locations, even while on the move. By making these exercises part of your daily routine you can work towards strengthening your back and avoiding long-term ailments.”

Tinnitus:

Another hugely common, and inevitably unavoidable consequence of the DJ lifestyle is tinnitus. From the loudness of the monitor speakers in the DJ booth, to just being in a club environment on a regular basis and, for the producers, the studio environment too. Being at such close proximity to high volumes emitting from some of the world's loudest sound systems all the time, with the added pressure on the eardrums from headphones and, occasionally, really badly EQ'd systems can leave many with ringing ears. In serious cases this becomes such an imposing problem that there is almost no alternative but to quit the music business. There is no cure for tinnitus, though it can be alleviated through sound therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy.

Jacqui says: “It goes without saying that one of the most important methods of protecting one's hearing is via earplugs. In a world where your hearing is paramount, DJs must take responsibility for this by protecting their ears with the necessary implements. Working in the world they do means constant exposure to high levels of volume and they must counteract this with adequate protection.”

Lack of exercise:

Aside from bopping away behind the decks and maybe making a dash to catch their next flight, there really isn't a lot of time for exercise in the average touring DJ's day-to-day calendar. Lack of exercise can lead to the aforementioned back issues, but also a wider range of problems, fromheart disease, to being overweight, lethargy and general poor health. Linked to this is a poor diet, which can also be part of a DJ's lifestyle – aside from the pre-club dinners that promoters sometimes organise, the poor food on offer at airports/on planes and other fast food outlets and so on means that they often miss out on the good nutrition of a healthy diet.

Our health expert says: “Exercise and eating well are two of the most important factors in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Though many people lead a very busy lifestyle, DJs in particular, it's not actually that difficult to squeeze in 10-minutes of exercise into one's daily routine. This can be hugely beneficial, especially when on the road constantly. Likewise, eating well and having a balanced diet - including lots of fruit and vegetables – is also not as difficult as you might imagine, it's all about being more aware of what you eat and trying to avoid fatty, unhealthy meals.”

Depression/stress of fame:

Life on the road isn't always one big party from beginning to end, often DJs end up in their hotel rooms isolated and alone. They can become isolated from friends who don't understand the life they lead, or thebreakdown of personal relationships through long distance/always being away from each other and, with the combined effects of many of the factors already discussed in this piece, can sometimes end up suffering from depression. Likewise the pressure of fame, being constantly in the public eye or in demand from fans can provoke anxiety and stress.

Jacqui says: “The effects of depression range from lasting feelings of sadness and hopelessness to losing interest in the things you used to enjoy and feeling tearful or on edge constantly. Becoming isolated from friends, or the world in general and feeling alone or misunderstood can quickly lead to depression. There can be physical symptoms too - such as feeling constantly tired, insomnia, having no appetite or sex drive and complaining of various aches and pains.”

As I said before, the lifestyle of a DJ is a dream come true for many, and many don't live their lives too excessively either. The aim of this piece was simply to look at some of the health issues that can arise from this life they lead and, hopefully, help some of them to avoid serious long-term repercussions. 

By Marcus Barnes

Article sourced from: Meoko